Control apparatus



Aug. 4, 1931. w. H. SMITH I CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 12, 1927WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY i 2 after.

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 11mm STATES PATENT were!) WALTER'H; SMITH; orWILKINSBUBG; PENNs LvANImnssIoNon 'rowns'rmonousn 1 ELECTRIC &MANUFACTURING COMPANY; A CORPORATION 011 PENNSYLVANIA CONTROL APPARATUSApplication filed may 12,

This invention relates generally to control apparatus and moreparticularly to a time'ele-ment device for controlling the make andbreak of circuits.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is the provision of atime element de- Vicefor controlling circuits that shall be simple andefiicientin operation and readily and economically man ufactured.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide for the stoppingof a sequence switch or drum in predetermined positions to effect astep-hy-step operation.

Another object of theinvention the provision of a circuit-controllindevice, the

operation ofwhich'will depen upon the operation of an air engine. I

Otherobjects of the invention will, in part,

, be obvious, andwill, in part appear herein- The invention accordinglyis disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanyingdrawings and comprises the structural features, the combination ofelements,

and arrangement of parts, that will be ex} emplified in the structurehereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will beindicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of thenature 3b and objects of the inventionreference may be had to the followingdetailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which; I or Figure 1 is aview in side elevation of a circuit control device c'onstructedi'naccordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation showingfeatures of the construction, and,

controlling device associated with an air engine and connected in asimple circuit;

Referring now to thedrawings and particularly to Fig. 3, the numeral 10indicates generally a sequence drum disposed to be actuated by an airengine 11. As illustrated,

aplurality of contact fingers. 1 2, 13 and 14 are disposed to be engagedby the sequence 1... drum 10 when it is rotated.

The air engine 11 may he of any well Fig. 3 is a diagram, showingthecircuit" 1927. Serial No. 190,701.

known type and comprises a plurality of cylinders 15and 1 6 in which thepistons 17 and 18 are slidably mounted. In. order to utilize the enginefor actuating the sequence 5, drum, a rack 19 is mounted between thepis- 5 tone 1'? and 18 and disposed t0, enga ien a pinion 20 which ismounted on the end 0 :the sequence drum shaft'2 1. 1 v

The admission and exhaust of compressed air to and from the cylinders 15sadism. spectively may be controlled hyfmeans, of electromagnetic valves22 and'23. A's will be observed, the valves which may, he ofi'a typecommonly used for controlling, airenc gine's are inverted relative toone another. 6 Therefore, when both thevalves are energized, compressedair will be admitted through one valve and exhausted'tlirough' theother, as in this 1 particular, case, air will be admitted through valve23 andem 7o haustedthrough valve22 andthe pistons 17 and18 Will move to,the right. If'botlithe valvesare deenergizedminwill be'exhausted throughvalve 23 and admittedthrough'valve 22and't'he pistons 17'and18will'1nove to the is left, while if valve 23is energized and valve22 deenergized, air will be admitted to both of the pistons and theenginewill cometo rest.

The supply ofcompressed'airfor actuat' ing the air engine may beobtained fro'm'fan'y, suitable source such as a reservoir- (not shown),The compressed, air may b nan ferred to-the air engine by means ofairlines 24 and25. .1 f

The novel features ofthisinvention will. now be described. Inorder toControl the. operation of the air engine, and the se uence.

drum, provision is made for periodical ly inv terrupting theenergization of one of. the valves ofthe air engine. I, r As shown, aresilient expansible-container 26Ywlii'ch may be constructed in any:suitable. manner as, for example, from a- 1gn 111...o v sylphon-tuhing,is provided andla contactjor. e5 27 is disposed thereonin alinem'entwiththe contact fingers 28 and 29, which anaconnected in a circuit that,willibe referred,tov hereiina fterh resilient containerQ'S is eennectedwe interposed in the air line to control the supply of compressed air tothe container 26.

The electromagnetic valve 31 may be of any well-known construction suchas is used in the control of air engines. In this particular embodimentof the invention the valve 31 is disposed to admit compressed air to thecontainer 26 when it is deenergized and to permit the exhaust of airfrom the container when energized.

In designing the exhaust port of the valve 31 it is made large ascompared with the orifice 33 provided in the diaphragm 32. Accordingly,the air may be exhausted from the container 26 more quickly than it canbe delivered through the orifice 33.

Therefore, in the operation of the device the air from the container 26may be exhausted quickly so as to permit it to collapse and snap thecontactor 27 out of engagement with the contact fingers 2S and 29. Suchan action is desirable when the device is utilized for interruptingelectric circuits.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, a storage battery 34 isprovided for supplying the electrical energy required for energizing theelectromagnetic valves 22, 23 and 31. However, it will be readilyunderstood that any other suitable source of electrical energy availablein installations where this invention is provided may be utilized.

Assuming that it is desired to actuate the sequence drum 10 which may beprovided with any number of contact segments for controlling anyelectrical control system, then the manually-operable switch 35 isclosed, and an energizing circuit for the valve 23 is established.Current now flows from the battery 34 through conductor 36, theactuating coil of valve 23, conductor 37, back to the negative side ofthe battery. The exhaust port of valve 23 is immediately closed andcommunication is established between the air line 25 and the cylinder16. When the valve 23 is opened compressed air flows from the air line25 through the air line 30, orifice 33, valve 31, to the container 26.The valve 22 remains deenergized until the container 26 is expanded toprojectthe contactor 27 into engagement with the contact fingers 28 and29.

Air pressure is now applied to the piston 18 but since the valve 22 isalso open, the cylinder 15 is connected to the air line 24 and thepiston 17 is subjected to a predetermined air pressure. Consequently theair engine is in abalanced condition and no movement of the pistonsresults from the energization of the valve 23.

hen the contactor 27 is projected into engagement with the contactfingers 28 and 29, an energizing circuit for the valve 22 is establishedwhich may be traced from the battery 34 through conductor 36, contactfingers 12 and 13 bridged by the contact segment 38 of the drum 10,conductor 39, contactfingers 29 and 28 bridged by the contactor 27,conductor 40, the actuating coil of the 'alve 22, conductor 37 back tothe negative side of the battery.

Upon the actuation of the valve 22 to its closed position, the supply ofcompressed air to the cylinder 15 is interrupted and the latter isconnected to the exhaust port of the valve. Since only the piston 18 issubjected to an air pressure, the pistons move to the right and thesequence drum 10 through the operation of the rack 1.9 and pinion 20 isrotated to the left.

As will be noted, the contact segment 38 is provided with dependingmembers disposed to engage the contact finger 14. the drum rotates, thefirst depending member engages the contact linger 14' and an energizingcircuit for the valve 31 is established which may be traced from thebattery 34, through conductor 36, contact fingers 12 and 14.- bridged bythe contact segment 38, conductor l1, the actuating coil of the valve31, and conductor 42 back to the negative side of the battery. Upon theenergization of the valve 31, air is exhausted from the container 26 andit collapses and snaps the contactor 27 out of engagement with thecontact fingers 28 and 29.

The energizing circuit of the valve 22 is interrupted and a balancedcondition in the air engine re-est-ablished in a manner describedhereinbefore. However, in designing the sequence drum and the airengine, provision is made whereby the sequence drum will be rotated farenough to carrying the depending members of the contact segment 38beyond the contact finger 14; before the air engine is stopped by theenergizing circuit of valve 22.

The sequence drum will stop at a predetermined point and will notadvance again until sufiicient compressed air has flowed into thecontainer 26 to expand it and project the contactor 27 into engagementwith the contact fingers 28 and 29 re-establishing the energizingcircuit of the valve 22. It will be readily understood that by varyingthe size of the orifice in the diaphragm 33, provision may be made forany desired time element between the disengagement of the contactor 27from the contact fingers 28 and 29 to interrupt the energizing circuitof the valve 22- and the reestablishment of the valve circuit tocontinue the operation of the air engine.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the device will bereadily understood. However, Fig. 3 only diagrammatically illustratesthe invention. Accordingly, reference is now made to Figs. 1 and 2 whichillustrate an embodiment of the invention suitable t'or manufacture.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, a base plate 43 having two laterally extendingbrackets 44 and 45 is provided. The collapsible container or sylphontube 26 is disposed between the brackets, the upper end being fixed tothe bracket 45, in any suitable manner, while the low end is free tomove. Depending from the lower end of the container 26 is a rod 46,which extends through the bracket 44 and has attached to its upper end ahead 47 made from some insulating material.

As shown, the head 47 is disposed in alinement with two resilientcontact plates 48 and 49 carried by the base plate 43 and insulatedtherefrom in any suitable manner common in the art. It will be observedthat the plates 48 and 49 are so mounted that they do not engage withone another until actuated by the downward movement of the head 47.

The valve 31 is also supported on the base plate 43 being cast integralwith the upper part thereof. As shown, the valve 31 comprises anelectromagnet 50 and a valve stem 51 disposed to be operated by theformer. In order to provide for the actuation of the valve, an armature52 is mounted on the valve stem and so arranged that when it isactuated. upon the energization of the electromagnet. the valve isprojected downwardly to establish communication betwen the container 26and the exhaust port 53, and to interrupt communication between the airline 30 and the container 26.

As will be observed, ducts 54 and 55 are provided in the upper part ofthe casting for establishing communication between the air line 30 andthe container 26, and between the exhaust port 53 and the container 26.A removable cap 56 is provided to give access to the chamber 57 in whichthe removable valve seats 58 and 59 are mounted. Further, in order toprovide for the actuation of the valve manually, the valve stem 51 isextended through the armature and a button 60 is provided for operatingit.

In the operation'of the device illustrated in Fig. 2, prior to theenergization of the magnet 50, air may flow from the air line 30,through the duct 54, valve 31, duct 55 to the container 26. Upon theexpansion of the container, the rod 46 and head 47 are projecteddownwardly and the contact plate 48 is moved into engagement with thecontact plate 49. Since both of the plates are made from some resilientmaterial they will not be damaged by the overtravel of the rod 46.

Upon the energization of the magnet 50 the armature 52 is raised and thevalve 31 is moved to its uppermost position, interrupting communicationbetween the air line 30 and the container 26. Further, communication isestablished from the container 26 through duct 58, valve 51 to theexhaust port 53. By making the exhaust port of suitable size, pro-Vision may be a e er exhau t g h ai from the container at any desiredrate.

A pl r li y of p ing .6 re p v n the base plate 43 so that the devicemay be the ke- Since certain changes may be made in the aboveconstruction and different embodiments of the invention may be made wthout mounted on anysupport by means of bolts or a departing from thespirit and scope thereof/ck it is intended that all matter contained inthe above description or shown in the accompanyto the pressure-actuatedswitch when the valve controlled by the sequence switch is open, andmeans for periodically releasing the pressure applied to the switch topermit it to open.

2. In control apparatus, in combination, a fi sequence switch, an airengine provided with valves disposed to operate the sequence switch,circuits for controlling the operation of the valves, one of saidcircuits being controlled by the sequence switch, a switch biased T toan open position and adapted to be actuated by air pressure disposed tocontrol the other valve circuit, means for conveying compressed air tothe pressure actuated switch when the valve controlled by the sequenceswitch is 5-1 open, means for periodically releasing the pressureapplied to the switch to permit it to open, said pressure-releasingmeans being adapted to release the pressure quickly enough to permitsubstantially a snap action of the switch.

3. In control apparatus, in combination, a sequence switch, an airengine provided with valves disposed to operate the sequence switch,circuits for controlling the operation of the valves, one of saidcircuits being controlled by the sequence switch, a switch biased to anopen position and adapted to be actuated by air pressure disposed tocontrol the other valve circuit, means for conveying compressed 1 air tothe pressure-actuated switch when the valve controlled by the sequenceswitch is open, and means for periodically releasing the pressureapplied to the switch to permit it to open, said air-conveying meansbeing provided with a constricted opening to delay for a predeterminedperiod the actuation of the pressure-operated switch to itscircuit-closing position.

4. In control apparatus, in combination, M139 sequence switch, an airengine provided with valves disposed to operate the sequence switch,circuits for controlling the operation of the valves, one of saidcircuits being eontrolled by the sequence switch, anair-pressure-actuated switch biased to an open position, and disposed tocontrol the other valve circuit, means for conveying compressed air tothe pressure-actuated switch when the 11 valve controlled by thesequence switch is open, means for periodically releasing the pressureapplied to the switch to permit it to open, said means for conveyingcompressed air being provided with a constricted openr 1 ing to delayfor apredetermined interval the operation of the switch after theclosure of said pressure-releasing means, said pressurereleasing meansbeing adapted to release the air pressure quickly to efl'ect a quickopening I of the pressure actuated switch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day ofMay, 19:27.

WALTER H. SMITH.

